BOSTON -- The quest for universal health care long the lonely pursuit of Democratic politicians has attracted an unlikely ally recently in Republican Gov. Mitt Romney.

Not that the former venture capitalist would use that exact term which was so vilified in the early years of the Clinton administration "I don't want to choose a title which has all sorts of connotations" Romney said.

But his call for "high quality solid care for all of our citizens" which has been a recurring refrain in recent speeches to Boston-area business leaders fits the definition according to national universal care advocates.

Romney argues that the current system with its increasing number of uninsured patients simply does not make good business sense.

"I believe that we should be able to provide for all of our citizens a basic good solid health care system and that means that we don't use the inefficient system we have now where half a million people without insurance go to emergency rooms" Romney said during a recent speech before the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce. "It's uneconomic it's inefficient to do it the way we're doing it."

At a recent business breakfast Romney reiterated "We've got to find a better way to provide health care for all of our citizens."

What Romney has not discussed yet is how an administration adamantly averse to raising the tax burden on citizens or corporations could craft a plan that would ensure access to primary preventive care for all residents.

"I think the governor's made the correct diagnosis" said Ron Hollander president of the Massachusetts Hospital Association. "But now we need a treatment plan and we need it soon."

In fact Romney's calls for a more inclusive health care system comes at time when his administration is presiding over reductions in Medicaid coverage for the poor as part of an effort to close an anticipated $3 billion deficit in fiscal year 2004 which begins July 1.

"We're on a reverse course right now" said Michael Widmer president of the Massachusetts Taxpayer Foundation. "That may be inevitable because of the fiscal crisis but it demonstrates that all of this is very costly and in the end it's the taxpayer the employer or the individual who will pay."

While universal health care is often associated with the concept of government-run socialized medicine experts say it can be accomplished in a variety of ways including a combination of private sector employer-based insurance and public sector support through Medicaid and other programs.

Under legislation passed in 1996 the state approved nearly universal health care for children and created one of the most generous Medicaid programs in the country for adults expanding coverage to new parts of the population.

As the state's revenues have plummeted however these expansions have been reversed with 36000 chronically unemployed citizens eliminated from the rolls in April.

This increased the pressure on the already overdrawn uncompensated care pool funded by hospitals insurance companies and the state which pays for free services provided to the uninsured at hospitals and health centers.

Now instead of receiving preventive health care under Medicaid these residents -- like all uninsured patients -- will only receive services through the emergency room when their illness is likely more advanced and more expensive to treat.

In addition the federal government picks up half the tab of the Medicaid expenditures but pays no part of the uninsured emergency room care.

The $345 million free care pool is facing an estimated $310 million shortfall next year which would have to be absorbed by the hospitals. Romney and legislative leaders however have proposed different methods of closing the gap and sparing the cash-strapped hospital system.

Romney has formed a task force to review the uncompensated care pool and the threat to hospitals.

The governor's recent comments have been greeted with guarded optimism and surprise by those on Beacon Hill who have long supported the cause of universal health care.

"These are not new ideas" said Sen. Mark C.W. Montigny D-New Bedford who sponsored the bill that expanded Medicaid in 1996. "What's new is a conservative corporate Republican talking about them."

At this point however talk is all it is observers emphasized.

"The governor hasn't put forth a proposal" Widmer said. "We're struggling mightily right now just to stay in place. So I'm at a loss to understand how we can move in the opposite direction."